“I want to make a difference. I want to campaign actively,” he said. “I want to help him carry the state of Iowa.”

Nationally, the race has seen a turning point, with more and more top GOP leaders herding to Mitt Romney, who lost a near tie in the Iowa caucuses to Rick Santorum on Jan. 3. In the three months since, Santorum has been Romney’s fiercest competition.

Recent Romney endorsements include George H. W. Bush, Barbara Bush, Jeb Bush, Marco Rubio, Paul Ryan and a large number of members of Congress.

Iowa politicians every four years face the same dilemma: Endorse a presidential candidate and influence the race, or hold back to reinforce that Iowa’s an open field for the caucuses but possibly damage personal clout?

Staying unaligned was the right thing for Branstad and other key political leaders in Iowa to do, Sabato said.

“If candidates believe that the Iowa caucuses are pre-cooked and digested, they are more likely to skip them. Is some clout lost by the delay? Maybe,” he said. “But let’s remember that Iowa is also a general election swing state. So endorsements can still be influential.”

There will inevitably be questions about whether Branstad has potential as a candidate for vice president.

Sabato noted the strengths of Iowa’s governor, and the fact that Iowa’s a crucial swing state, but said he doubts Branstad is in the running for vice president.

“Branstad is one of the most experienced governors in American history. Presidential candidates have done a lot worse in the modern era!” Sabato said.

But he’s considered a moderate-conservative, and Romney may need shoring up on the conservative tea party side, Sabato said.

It’s late in the game for endorsements. Endorsements are overrated as vote-producers, Sabato said, but they do suggest which way the wind is blowing as well as the judgment of professional politicians about electability, Sabato said.

“I’ve met few people who admit to backing a candidate because an elected official endorsed the candidate. But my guess is there is a subtle bandwagon effect that does matter with the rank-and-file,” he said.

Later in the day, he offers appreciation for military families with a proclamation, attends a “lean finely textured beef” rally at Iowa State University at 2:30 p.m., and does the “Call Gov. Branstad Show” on WHO Radio at 6 p.m.